Is the comparative or superlative form correct?

Irregular comparatives and superlatives are as follows:

 

good adj	better	best
well adv	better	best
bad adj	worse	worst
badly adv	worse	worst
little adj / adv	less	least
many adj	more	most
much adj / adv	more	most
far adj / adv	farther, further	farthest, furthest [1]
late adj / adv	later	last (final)
latest (most recent)
old adj	older, elder	oldest, eldest [2]

Is the comparative or superlative used correctly?

a. Comparatives and superlatives are used to modify a noun or after a verb.

Could you put it in simpler words for me?

The easiest way to clear up some social concepts and terms is to study social sciences.

A man can grow rich only if he is able to offer better products or services at a lower price than others are able to offer.

b. Before a comparative we can use (very)much, a lot, a little, a bit, rather or far: very much taller, a lot more important, a little cheaper, a bit more expensive, rather colder, far more interesting.

Before a superlative we often use by far or easily: by far the cheapest, easily the most attractive.

c. The superlative is used in the following structures:

After superlatives we use in to show what place we are talking about. Of is not normally used, but it is possible in expressions the happiest day of my life, the hottest day of the year and after a superlative without a noun:

This is the least expensive of all our decisions.

Is the parallel comparison used correctly?

When a two-clause sentence begins with a comparative, the second clause also begins with a comparative.

The higher the price is, the fewer goods we buy.

Exercise 1

Underline any comparative that is used incorrectly.

e.g. Northern Mexico generally receives the less rain than does Central Mexico.

 

1. Wheat bread is the more tasty and popular of all kinds of bread in the shop.

2. The social committee passes the more bills than any other political group.

3. The cheaper of the two suitcases was more suitable for short trips.

4. People spend many more of their development time in the family unit than somewhere else.

5. Outside of family, individuals often have much less stake in any social interaction and the interactions are usually more limited.

6. Evaluating the quality of a product can be difficult for a customer. The higher the quality, the higher the price.

7. Choices are not simpler for citizens because many factors influence voting decisions.

8. More often than not a smart voter makes best voting decisions than an inexperienced one.

Exercise 2

Make sentences using the structure:

the + comparative clause, the + comparative clause

 

e.g. (small) a purchase is / (easy) it is to adjust the budget.

The smaller a purchase is, the easier it is to adjust the budget.

1. (complicated) the problem / (hard) it is to find a solution.

2. (wide) the choice is / (good) the decision of a person is.

3. (big) a car is / (expensive) it is to run.

4. (bad) the weather / (dangerous) it is to drive on the roads.

5.(old) he gets / (thoughtful) he becomes.

6. (fast) he tried to work / (little) he was able to accomplish.

7. (many) advances and improvements are made in technology, (convenient) the banking transactions become.

8. (much) populated the area becomes, (much) noise one has to contend with.

Exercise 3

Put Ö for correct sentences; rewrite the incorrect ones.

1. This is one of most expensive restaurants in Milton.

2. Let your citizens choose the most and the least expensive ways to elect President.

3.Only smartest government knows how to overcome this problem of complexity by insuring a context in which people can be assured of certain social regularities

4. The better educated a person is, the less likely is he to be unemployed.

5. I think that was one of the worse days of my life.

6. Today there are less and less jobs which require unskilled labour.

7. My neighbour is one of the boringest people I know.

8. What is the most popular brand of beer in your pub?

9. Tell me if you have any farther problems. (= any more problems)

10.The eldest customer was given a free basket of food.

 

SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC STRUCTURE OF SOCIETY. SOCIAL STRATIFICATION

AGENDA

4.1	Lead-in	Section overview
4.2	Language input	Developing vocabulary
4.3	Background information	Social System and Social Structure
4.4	Comprehension	Understanding the reading Scanning
4.5	Practice Skills focus	Fill-in exercises Writing skills Presenting the information
4.6	Dialogue	The Process of Social Stratification
	Supporting materials	Questions on Social Stratification
4.7	Reading for Cross-cultural Associations	Social Stratification in India
4.8	Role play	What Are Socio-economic Issues?
4.9	Grammar Back Up	Practice withFuture

LEAD-IN

SectionOverview

This section studies the basics of Socioeconomics which is an area that governs the understandings and the activities of individuals that shape them as economically active. Social economics may broadly refer to the use of economics in the study of society.

 

ö What does it mean to be poor? How can poverty be measured from your point of view?

(socio-economic issues, problems, factors; to have influence on; negative, individuals; economic activity, lack of education, cultural discrimination, religious discrimination, overpopulation, unemployment)

 

ö What does successful social and economic development imply?

(an improvement in living standards; access to all basic needs;stable political, social and economic environment; free and informed choices; part of a democratic environment)

LANGUAGE INPUT

accord n accumulate v acquire v basics n commerce n contemporary adj deprive v division of labor elites n embed v It is the parent system of those various structures that are embedded in it.   emerge v emergence n emphasis n It may be created by economic systems that place emphasis upon competition or cooperation.     emphasize v endure v entity n   legal entity erosion n expand v expansion n expertise n generation n hierarchical arrangement improve v improvement n indifference n inflict v interdependence n interdependent adj issue n issue v life expectancy literate adj living standard manual laborers material wealth masses n It may be caused by competition between elites and masses.   metrics n   pattern n placement n poverty n retain v refer v reference n separation of classes shelter n stratification n stratum n pl strata subordinate v subordinate n survive v survival n sympathy n ant. antipathy treatment n

согласие, единодушие накапливать, аккумулировать приобретать, овладевать основы, азы торговля, коммерция современный, сегодняшний лишать, отбирать, обездолить разделение труда знать, высшие слои общества вставлять, внедрять Это вышестоящая система, состоящая из тех различных структур, которые внедрены в неё. возникать, появляться возникновение, появление подчеркивание, акцент Это может быть создано с помощью экономических систем, которые делают акцент на конкуренции и сотрудничестве. подчеркивать, обратить внимание выносить, выдерживать   подразделение, единица; объект, организм; суть, сущность юридическое лицо разрушение, размывание, подрыв расширять, расширяться распространение, увеличение знания и опыт, компетентность поколение, порождение иерархическое устройство улучшать, улучшаться улучшение, совершенствование неприязнь, отвращение наносить, причинять взаимозависимость взаимозависимый вопрос, проблема, предмет спора пускать в обращение, издавать средняя продолжительность жизни грамотный, образованный уровень жизни работники ручного труда материальные блага низы, народные массы Это может быть вызвано конкуренцией между высшими и низшими слоями общества. количественные показатели, измерения образец, модель размещение, распределение бедность удерживать, сохранять ссылаться, соотносить, называть ссылка, упоминание, сноска разобщение классов прибежище, кров расслоение, стратификация слой слои подчинять, ставить в зависимость подчиненный, нижестоящий выжить, перенести выживание, спасение жизни сочувствие, сострадание равнодушие обращение, обхождение

DEVELOPING VOCABULARY

4.2.1 Consult a dictionary and practise the pronunciation of the following words and word combinations, quote the sentences in which they are used in the text or submit the examples of your own:

accord______________________________________________________

accumulate___________________________________________________

antipathy____________________________________________________

assess_______________________________________________________

commerce___________________________________________________

differentiate__________________________________________________

embourgeoisement_____________________________________________

emergence___________________________________________________

emphasis____________________________________________________

emphasize ___________________________________________________

expertise_____________________________________________________

hierarchical__________________________________________________

impact n_____________________________________________________

interdependence_______________________________________________

issue ________________________­______________________________­­­­_

literate______________________________________________________

macrostructure _______________________________________________

microstructure ________________________________________________

primogeniture ________________________________________________

subordinate v_________________________________________________

subordinate n_________________________________________________

sympathy ___________________________________________________

4.2.2 Match the English word combinations in the left-hand column with the Russian equivalents in the right-hand column:

 

	to be concerned about social inequality	A	различать (выделять) структуру взаимоотношений
	to make free and informed choices	B	повышение уровня жизни
	to have a full potential for	C	формировать поведение участников
	diverse sets of relationships	D	трудоспособность, потенциальный доход
	environment associated with political, social and economic freedom	E	иметь свою позицию по поводу своего будущего
	to shape the behaviour of actors	F	внедрять (встраивать) в социальные системы
	to place emphasis upon competition or cooperation	G	быть обеспокоенным проблемой социального неравенства
	to seek to retain one’s power	H	социальное расслоение
	to differentiate a relation structure	I	общественное отношение к отдельным людям
	to have a say in one’s own future	J	бороться за выживание
	social mobility	K	иметь все возможности для чего-либо
	in accord with the needs and interests	L	сосредоточиться на политических ценностях
	an improvement in living standards	M	делать акцент на конкуренции или сотрудничестве
	stable patterns of relationship	N	разнообразные системы взаимоотношений
	earning capacity	O	делать свободный и обдуманный выбор
	to embed into social systems	P	в соответствии с потребностями и интересами
	to struggle for survival	Q	изменение социального положения и статуса в обществе
	lack of material wealth	R	бытьобездоленным, неимущим
	social treatment of persons	S	недостаток материального благополучия
	social stratification	T	среда, связанная с политической, социальной и экономической свободой
	to focus on political values	U	стабильный характер отношений
	to be deprived	V	стремиться сохранить свою власть

BACKGROUND INFORMATION